L1 (or Red Line) is the first section in operation of the light rail system in Jerusalem, Israel, known as the Jerusalem Light Rail. It became fully operational on December 1, 2011. The original line is long with 23 stops. Extensions to the Red Line to the north of Neve Yaakov and to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital to the southwest were completed in February 2025 extending the line's length to .
With a total estimated cost for the initial section of the line of 3.8 billion NIS (approx. US $1.1 billion), the project was criticized for budget overruns, for its route serving east Jerusalem and for contributing to air and noise pollution during construction.
Stations
+List of Jerusalem Light Rail Red Line stations Station Street Location NeighborhoodHadassah Ein KeremKalman Yaakov Man StreetEin Kerem Medical CenterMedical SchoolNear the entrance of the Hebrew University Ein Kerem Campus.Ora JunctionHenrietta Szold StreetAt the end of Henrietta Szold Street and near the entrance of the moshav Ora.Kiryat MenahemKiryat Menahem Henrietta Szold–EastHaMifletzet Playground Arthur Hantke StreetBorder between Arthur Hantke Street and Henrietta Szold street.Kiryat HaYovelKiryat HaYovel–WestShmaryahu Levin Mount HerzlHerzl Boulevard Corner of HaPisga Street Bayit VeGan Yefeh Nof Corner of Shmuel Bait StreetBeit HaKerem Denia Square Corner of HaArazim Street at Denia Square He-Haluts Corner of HeHaluts Street Kiryat Moshe Corner of HaRav Zvi Yehuda Street Kiryat Moshe Central StationJaffa Road Located between the Central Bus Station and Navon railway station Romema Ha-Turim Near Nordau StreetMahane Yehuda Mahane Yehuda Near Mahane Yehuda Market Ha-Davidka Corner of Street of the Prophets at Davidka SquareCity Center Jaffa–Center Corner of King George and Straus Streets City Hall Near Safra Square Damascus GateHeil HaHandassa Street Corner of Sultan Suleiman Street Shivtei Israel Corner of Shivtei Israel Street Beit Yisrael Shim'on Ha-TsadikHaim Bar Lev Boulevard Corner of Shimon HaTsadik Street Sheikh Jarrah Ammunition Hill Corner of Levi Eshkol Boulevard French Hill Giv'at Ha-MivtarShuafat Road Corner of Sheshet HaYamim Street Givat HaMivtar, French Hill Es-Sahl Corner of Umm Al-Amed StreetShuafat Shu'afat Corner of Ben Rabah Street Beit 'Hanina Yekutiel Adam Street Corner of Beit Hanina Street Beit Hanina Yekuti'el Adam Corner of Moshe Dayan BoulevardPisgat Ze'ev Pisgat Ze'ev Center Moshe Dayan Boulevard Near Hapisga Mall Sayeret Dukhifat Corner of Sayeret Dukhifat Street 'Heil Ha-Avir Corner of Heil HaAvir Street Moshe Dayan Mazal KashatCorner of Moshe Dayan Boulevard and Neve Yaakov Boulevard Itzhak TavenkinNeve Yaakov Boulevard Neve YaakovNeve Yaakov
Extensions
Initial extensions to the Red Line were planned to the neighborhoods of Neve Yaakov in Northeast Jerusalem and Ein Karem (near Hadassah Hospital) in the Southwest. Former mayor Uri Lupolianski stated that they would be completed at the same time as the rest of the line. In 2008, French company Egis Rail won an 11.9 million Euro contract to carry out some of the design work. However, in March 2009, CityPass turned down implementing the project. In May 2010, the Jerusalem Municipality announced that the extensions would be built by the state authorities rather than a private company. The extension to Hadassah Hospital from Mount Herzl was particularly challenging and involved a complex path with complicated bridging works. The line's terminal station next to Hadassah's inpatient building was built during the construction of the inpatient building in order not to disrupt hospital operations later after the new building was completed. At one point, branches to the Red Line were planned that would create a "campus line" connecting the Mount Scopus and Givat Ram campuses of the Hebrew University, but it was decided that this function will be accomplished by the Green Line, whose first section opened in August 2026.
The Red Line extension of the Jerusalem Light Rail, intended to reach Hadassah Hospital and Neve Yaakov, has faced several delays. Initially set for completion in July 2023, the project’s timeline has been extended, with the new expected start of operations being no earlier than November 2024. The delay has been attributed to budgetary issues, infrastructure challenges, and a shortage of manpower. Infrastructure works are completed in certain segments, with others still under construction.
Eventually, the extensions of the Red Line to Neve Yaakov and Hadassah Ein Kerem opened on February 25, 2025, and became operational on February 27, 2025. On March 9, the opening ceremony for the extension was conducted by the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion.
Connections The first section of the Green Line, with 13 stations running between Malha and HaTurim, opened on August 21, 2026, with connections to the Red Line at the HaTurim station and the Jerusalem central bus station / Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon railway station.Stub, Zev. "Jerusalem Light Rail unveils largest extension in 15 years, with new ‘Green Line’", The Times of Israel, August 21, 2026. Accessed August 23, 2026. "The Jerusalem Light Rail celebrated its largest-ever extension on Friday, connecting the Malha neighborhood in the southern part of the capital to the city center. The new L3 route extends roughly 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) and includes 13 stations.""History in Jerusalem: Israel’s First Light Rail Network is Here", Municipality of Jerusalem, August 19, 2026. Accessed August 23, 2026. "The L3 line connects to the Red Line at two interchange points: HaTurim Station and the area of the Central Bus Station and the ICC. The connection of the lines creates a single network and also enables convenient transfers to Israel Railways and the bus lines."
See also Tel Aviv Light Rail Jerusalem Light Rail
References